buy off
C1Informal, potentially negative/pejorative
Definition
Meaning
To bribe someone; to give money or favors in order to stop someone from causing trouble or making accusations.
To pay someone to ignore an offense or overlook a wrongdoing; to secure someone's cooperation or silence through payment.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Inherently implies unethical or corrupt action. Cannot be used for standard commercial purchases (e.g., you don't 'buy off' a car from a dealership).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Both use the term identically.
Connotations
Strongly negative in both, associated with corruption and underhanded dealings.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] + buy off + [Direct Object (person/group)][Subject] + buy off + [Direct Object] + with + [payment]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Pay hush money”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to unethical practices to secure contracts or avoid regulation (e.g., 'The corporation was accused of trying to buy off the inspector.').
Academic
Used in political science, criminology, or ethics discussions about corruption.
Everyday
Used to describe any attempt to use money to avoid consequences (e.g., 'He tried to buy off his neighbour after damaging the fence.').
Technical
Not typically a technical term, but appears in legal contexts related to bribery.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The developer tried to buy off the council planning officer.
- They attempted to buy him off with a luxury holiday.
American English
- The company bought off the whistleblower with a large settlement.
- He thought he could buy off the reporter.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He tried to buy off the police officer, but it didn't work.
- The scandal revealed that the politician had bought off several journalists to kill the story.
- The regime's strategy was to buy off potential dissidents with lucrative government positions, thereby co-opting the opposition.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of someone handing over cash to 'buy' a problem, making it go 'off' (away).
Conceptual Metaphor
MORALITY/INTEGRITY IS A COMMODITY (that can be purchased).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with "купить" (to purchase). The Russian equivalent is often "подкупить", "дать взятку". A direct word-for-word translation results in nonsense.
Common Mistakes
- Using it for legitimate purchases (e.g., 'I bought off a new phone').
- Confusing with 'buy out' (to purchase a business share).
Practice
Quiz
In which scenario is 'buy off' used correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, they are synonyms. 'Buy off' is a more informal, phrasal verb version of 'bribe'.
No, it almost always carries a negative connotation of corruption and unethical behavior.
They are very close synonyms. 'Pay off' can also mean 'to yield a profit' or 'to pay a debt in full,' while 'buy off' is exclusively about bribery.
Primarily, yes. You buy off a person, a group of people, or an entity acting through people (e.g., 'buy off the government'). You cannot buy off an abstract concept like 'trouble' directly.
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